One of the quickest and easiest ways to add a new, bare server (a server not having an operating system) to a network is to plug it into the network and use a deployment server on the network to deploy an image of the operating system to the bare server. The bare server can save this image to its hard disk drive or equivalent storage and then reboot. Once it reboots, it can be running with the newly deployed operating system.
Operating systems deployed to bare servers with an image are often out of date, however; they need current updates to be optimally secure. A server with an out-of-date operating system, if it is linked to the network, can acquire these updates through the network, usually from an Internet site or an intranet server having current updates.
But the network, even if it is an intranet, may be susceptible to malicious communication, such as a virus or other network-based attack. Because of this, the server often cannot acquire these updates before being attacked by malicious code via the network. In the amount of time between when the server is first running with its operating system on the network and when it has downloaded and installed current updates, malicious code like a virus or Trojan horse can attack the server. This is a real danger, as many malicious programs take less than a second to corrupt a server running an out-of-date operating system. The MS Blaster virus, for instance, can corrupt a server without an appropriate software update within tenths of a second.
To partially combat this problem, a bare server can be connected to a deployment server without being connected to a network, such as by manually plugging a cable into both servers. Through this cable, the deployment server can deploy an image having an operating system to the bare server. The server can then be rebooted with the operating system. Once this is done, updates can be installed, usually by hand with compact disks, to make the operating system optimally secure. Once updated, the server can then be plugged into the network. This partial solution may reduce the server's vulnerability to attack, but it is time consuming. An information technology specialist can spend many hours connecting bare servers directly to a deployment server, deploying images, installing updates, disconnecting the servers from the deployment server, and then connecting them to the network.
Also to partially combat this problem, the operating system and updates can be manually installed on a bare server, usually with many compact disks, prior to connecting the server to the network. Manually installing an operating system and updates, however, is also time consuming and tedious; it can takes hours for each server.
There is, therefore, a need for a secure way to deploy an operating system and updates to a server over a network that is susceptible to malicious communication.